JP3518907B2 - Electrolyzed water generator - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is an electrolysis method for electrolyzing ordinary water, electrolyzed water such as dilute salt solution, to obtain water produced on the anode chamber side which is acidic water and water produced on the cathode chamber side which is alkaline water. It relates to a water generator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one type of electrolyzed water generator, as shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-42077 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-479, the inside of an electrolytic cell is divided by a diaphragm having ion permeability. Electrodes are arranged in a pair of compartments formed by forming an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, respectively, and electrolyzed water is electrolyzed between these electrodes to generate the anode chamber side generated water and the cathode chamber side generated water. There is an electrolyzed water generator to obtain. In this type of electrolyzed water generator, a platinum-iridium-based electrode is used as an electrode constituting the anode chamber in consideration of electrolysis efficiency, for example, an electrode formed by coating the surface of a titanium plate with platinum-iridium. Further, as the electrode constituting the cathode chamber, a corrosion-resistant electrode in consideration of corrosion resistance, for example, a plate-shaped titanium, stainless steel, or an electrode formed by coating a titanium plate with platinum is adopted.

However, in this type of electrolyzed water producing apparatus, inorganic substances such as calcium, magnesium, silicate and the like which are mixed in electrolyzed water during electrolysis of electrolyzed water are deposited as a scale in the electrolysis chamber. Adhere to the electrodes and walls of the electrolysis chamber, significantly reducing the electrolysis efficiency and contaminating the electrolysis chamber. For this reason, when the electrolysis efficiency decreases during electrolysis, the electrolysis is interrupted and the polarities of both electrodes are reversed to wash the anode and the anode chamber with alkaline water and the cathode and the cathode chamber with acidic water. Means are taken. In this case, when the electrolyzed water is hard water containing a large amount of calcium, magnesium or the like or an aqueous solution based on this, there is a large amount of scale deposition at the cathode, and ground water containing a large amount of silicic acid or this is the base. When the solution is an aqueous solution, the amount of scale deposited on the anode is large.

[0004]

By the way, in the cleaning of the electrolytic cell for removing the scale deposited on each electrolytic chamber and each electrode, the scale on the anode chamber or the anode is removed according to the characteristics of the scale and the deposition amount. The voltage applied to each electrode is low and the application time is short.However, in order to remove the scale on the cathode chamber or the cathode, the scale on the anode chamber or the anode is removed compared to removing the scale on the electrode. It requires a high applied voltage and a long application time. Therefore, in cleaning the electrolytic cell, it is necessary to apply a high negative voltage to the platinum-iridium electrode for a long time in order to sufficiently remove and clean the cathode chamber and the scale on the cathode. -The elution of iridium from the iridium electrode is promoted and the electrode is damaged early, resulting in a significant decrease in electrolysis efficiency.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to prevent the platinum-iridium electrode from being damaged during cleaning of the electrolytic cell in this type of electrolyzed water producing apparatus to improve electrolysis efficiency.

[0006]

The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water generator, and a first invention thereof is a pair of compartments formed by partitioning an interior of an electrolytic cell with a diaphragm having ion permeability. Among them, a platinum-iridium-based electrode and a first corrosion resistant electrode are arranged in one compartment to form a first electrolysis chamber, and a second corrosion resistant electrode is arranged in the other compartment and a second electrolysis chamber is formed. The chamber is configured and the platinum-
The iridium-based electrode serves as an anode and the second corrosion-resistant electrode operates as a cathode, and the first corrosion-resistant electrode serves as a cathode and the second corrosion-resistant electrode serves as an anode when cleaning the cathode chamber side of the two electrolysis chambers. It is characterized by operating as.

A second aspect of the present invention is the first platinum-iridium in one of a pair of compartments formed by partitioning the inside of the electrolytic cell with a diaphragm having ion permeability. System electrode and the first corrosion-resistant electrode are arranged to form a first electrolysis chamber, and the second platinum-iridium-based electrode and the second corrosion-resistant electrode are arranged in the other compartment to form the second electrolysis chamber. And two sets of electrodes, an electrode pair including the first platinum-iridium-based electrode and a second corrosion-resistant electrode, and an electrode pair including the second platinum-iridium-based electrode and a first corrosion-resistant electrode. In the electrolysis of water to be electrolyzed, each of the platinum-iridium-based electrodes serves as an anode and each of the corrosion-resistant electrodes serves as a cathode, and each of the electrode pairs is selectively operated.

In each of these electrolyzed water generators, the corrosion-resistant electrode is preferably an electrode selected from a titanium electrode, a stainless electrode, and an electrode group formed by coating the surface of titanium with platinum. When both electrodes arranged in the same chamber of each electrolysis chamber are non-water-permeable plate-shaped electrodes, these same electrodes are preferably arranged in series with each other, and the same chamber of each electrolysis chamber In the case where both electrodes arranged in (1) are water-permeable porous plate-shaped electrodes, these electrodes are preferably arranged in parallel with each other.

[0009]

In the electrolyzed water producing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the electrolysis efficiency is improved by operating the platinum-iridium electrode as the anode and the second corrosion resistant electrode as the cathode during electrolysis of electrolyzed water. Can be increased. On the other hand, when cleaning the electrolytic cell, in removing the scale on the anode chamber and the platinum-iridium electrode, a negative voltage is applied to the platinum-iridium electrode and a positive voltage is applied to the second corrosion-resistant electrode. In removing the scale on the cathode chamber and the second corrosion-resistant electrode, a negative voltage is applied to the first corrosion-resistant electrode and a second voltage is applied to the second corrosion-resistant electrode.
A positive voltage is applied to the corrosion resistant electrode. In this case, in removing the scale on the anode chamber and the platinum-iridium electrode, the applied voltage can be a low voltage for a short time, so that the platinum-iridium electrode does not elute iridium and the like even though a negative voltage is applied. , Platinum due to elution of iridium
The occurrence of damage to the iridium electrode is suppressed. Further, in the scale removal on the cathode chamber and the second corrosion-resistant electrode, the applied voltage requires a high voltage for a long time, but since a negative voltage is not applied to the platinum-iridium electrode, platinum is not dissolved by elution of iridium. -No damage to the iridium electrode occurs. Therefore, according to the electrolyzed water generator, it is possible to prevent early damage to the platinum-iridium electrode when cleaning the electrolytic cell.

In the electrolyzed water isomerization apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, during electrolysis of electrolyzed water, the first platinum-iridium electrode in the first electrolysis chamber is used as the anode and the second platinum in the second electrolysis chamber is used as the second electrolysis chamber. A mode in which the second corrosion-resistant electrode operates as a cathode;
The second platinum-iridium electrode in the electrolysis chamber can be used as an anode, and the first corrosion-resistant electrode in the first electrolysis chamber can be operated as a cathode. By selecting these both modes, the anode chamber and the cathode chamber are alternately switched in both electrolysis chambers according to the selection of this mode, whereby the electrodes in the operated state and the scale of each electrolysis chamber can be removed. . In this case, since a negative voltage is not applied to the first and second platinum-iridium electrodes at all, there is no elution of iridium from the electrodes due to the application of the negative voltage, and the platinum-iridium electrode No damage will occur. Therefore, according to the electrolyzed water generator, it is possible to prevent early damage to the platinum-iridium electrode when cleaning the electrolytic cell.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment thereof.
FIG. 3 shows the same third embodiment.

The electrolyzed water producing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is an electrolysis producing apparatus using dilute salt water as electrolyzed water, and as shown in FIG.
2, a pair of compartments 13 and 14 are formed.
3, electrodes 15 and 16a are arranged in series, and an electrode 16b is arranged in the compartment 14. The diaphragm 12 is a semipermeable membrane having ion permeability. In addition, among the electrodes, the electrode 15 is a non-water-permeable platinum-iridium-based electrode in which the surface of plate-shaped titanium is covered with a baked coating of platinum-iridium, and the electrodes 16a and 16b are the surface of plate-shaped titanium. Is a non-water-permeable platinum-based electrode obtained by coating the above with a platinum plating or a fired coating of platinum. Therefore, the electrolyzed water generator 10
In the first embodiment, the compartment 13 and the electrode 16a are
The invention corresponds to the first electrolysis chamber and the first corrosion-resistant electrode, and the compartment 14 and the electrode 16b correspond to the second electrolysis chamber and the second corrosion-resistant electrode. The compartment 13 includes a platinum-iridium electrode 15 and a first platinum-based electrode 16
a is placed in the anode chamber, and the compartment 14 is placed in the cathode chamber with the second platinum-based electrode 16b. Therefore, the compartments 13 and 14 will be referred to as the anode chamber 1 below.
3, referred to as the cathode chamber 14.

In the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 10, the dilute saline solution is supplied from the supply pipe 17a to the anode chamber 13 and the cathode chamber 14, and the produced water on the anode chamber side is the first.
While being discharged from the drain pipe 17b, the cathode chamber side generated water is discharged from the second discharge pipe 17c. Each electrode 15, 16a, 16b is connected to a power source 18a whose voltage can be varied, and the power source 18a controls a voltage applied to each electrode 15, 16a, 16b by a controller 18b.

In the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 10 configured as described above, a dilute saline solution is supplied to the anode chamber 13 and the cathode chamber 14, and the platinum-iridium electrode 1 is also provided.
A positive voltage is applied to 5 and a negative voltage is applied to the second platinum-based electrode 16b to start electrolysis. As a result, the dilute salt solution is electrolyzed in the anode chamber 13 and the cathode chamber 14, the anode chamber side generated water that is acidic water is discharged from the first discharge pipe 18a, and the alkaline water is discharged from the second discharge pipe 18b. The generated water on the cathode chamber side is discharged. That is, in electrolysis of dilute saline solution, the platinum-iridium electrode 15
Operates as an anode, and the second platinum-based electrode 16b operates as a cathode.

On the other hand, when cleaning the electrolytic cell 11, the anode chamber 1
3 and scale removal on the platinum-iridium electrode 15, a negative voltage is applied to the platinum-iridium electrode 15 and a positive voltage is applied to the second platinum electrode 16b. In removing the scale on the cathode chamber 14 and the second platinum-based electrode 16b, a negative voltage is applied to the first platinum-based electrode 16a and a positive voltage is applied to the second platinum-based electrode 16b. In this case, in removing the scale on the anode chamber 13 and the platinum-iridium electrode 15, the applied voltage may be a low voltage in a short time. Therefore, in such scale removal, there is almost no elution of iridium or the like despite applying a negative voltage to the platinum-iridium-based electrode 15, and the platinum-iridium electrode 15 is damaged due to the elution of iridium. Is suppressed.

Further, in the scale removal on the cathode chamber 14 and the second platinum-based electrode 16b, it is necessary to apply a high voltage for a long time. However, in this case, since the negative voltage is not applied to the platinum-iridium electrode 15, the platinum-iridium electrode 15 is not damaged due to elution of iridium or the like. Therefore, according to the electrolyzed water generating apparatus 10, the platinum-
It is possible to prevent early damage of the iridium electrode 15.

FIG. 2 shows an electrolyzed water producing apparatus 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The electrolyzed water generator 20
Is an electrolysis generator that uses dilute salt water as electrolyzed water, similar to the electrolyzed water generator 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. Compartments 23 and 24 are formed in the compartment 23.
5a and 26a are arranged in series, and each electrode 25b and 26b is arranged in series in the compartment 24. Diaphragm 2
2 is a semipermeable membrane having ion permeability. Of the electrodes, the electrodes 25a and 25b are non-water-permeable platinum-iridium-based electrodes in which the surface of plate-shaped titanium is coated with a platinum-iridium sintered film, and the electrodes 26a and 26b are plate-shaped titanium. Is a non-water-permeable platinum-based electrode whose surface is coated with platinum plating or a fired coating of platinum. Therefore, in the electrolyzed water generator 20, the compartment 23, the electrode 25a, and the electrode 26a correspond to the first electrolysis chamber, the first platinum-iridium electrode, and the first corrosion-resistant electrode in the second invention of the present invention. And the compartment 24, the electrode 25b and the electrode 2
6b corresponds to the second electrolysis chamber, the second platinum-iridium-based electrode, and the second corrosion resistant electrode.

Therefore, hereinafter, the electrodes 25a and 25b will be referred to as first and second platinum-iridium based electrodes, the electrodes 26a and 26b will be referred to as first and second platinum based electrodes, and the compartments 23 and 24 will be referred to as first and second platinum based electrodes. 1, 2nd electrolysis chamber. In the electrolyzed water generator 20, the first electrolysis chamber 23 has a first platinum-iridium electrode 25a and a first platinum-based electrode 26a.
Are arranged in series, and the second electrolysis chamber 24 has a second platinum-iridium-based electrode 25b and a second platinum-based electrode 26b.
Are arranged in series, and when electrolyzed water is electrolyzed, the first
Platinum-iridium electrode 25a and second platinum-based electrode 26
b as an electrode pair, and the second platinum-iridium-based electrode 2
5b and the first platinum-based electrode 26a independently operate as an electrode pair. In this case, a positive voltage is applied to the first and second platinum-iridium electrodes 25a and 25b, and
A negative voltage is applied to the second platinum-based electrodes 26a and 26b. Therefore, the electrolysis chambers 23 and 24 function as an anode chamber and a cathode chamber depending on the operating condition of each electrode pair.

In the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 20, the dilute saline solution is supplied from the supply pipe 27a to the electrolysis chambers 23 and 24, and the electrolyzed chambers 23 and 24 produce water from the anode chamber side or the cathode chamber side. Is each drain pipe 27b, 27c
Emitted from. In addition, each electrode 25a, 25b, 26
a and 26b are connected to a power source 28a whose voltage can be varied, and the power source 28a controls each electrode 25 by a control device 28b.
The applied voltage to a, 25b, 26a, and 26b is controlled.

In the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 20 thus constructed, dilute saline is supplied to the electrolysis chambers 23 and 24, and a voltage is applied to any one of the electrode pairs. The electrolysis is started by the operation of the electrode pair. For example, in order to operate the electrode pair composed of the first platinum-iridium electrode 25a and the second platinum electrode 26b to perform electrolysis, a positive voltage is applied to the first platinum-iridium electrode 25a and 2 A negative voltage is applied to the platinum electrode 26b. As a result, the first electrolysis chamber 23 side becomes the anode chamber, the second electrolysis chamber 24 side becomes the cathode chamber, and the dilute salt solution is electrolyzed in the electrolysis chambers 23, 24, and the acidic water is discharged from the first discharge pipe 27a. A certain anode chamber side generated water is discharged, and the cathode chamber side generated water which is alkaline water is discharged from the second discharge pipe 27b. That is, in electrolysis of diluted saline, the first platinum-iridium electrode 25a operates as an anode, and the second platinum-based electrode 26
b acts as the cathode.

On the other hand, when the electrode pair different from the above-mentioned electrode pair is operated for electrolysis, a positive voltage is applied to the second platinum-iridium electrode 25b and the first platinum electrode is used. A negative voltage is applied to the electrode 26a. As a result, the second electrolysis chamber 24 side becomes the anode chamber, and
The electrolytic chamber 23 side serves as a cathode chamber, the dilute saline solution is electrolyzed in the electrolytic chambers 23 and 24, and the cathode chamber side generated water that is alkaline water is discharged from the first discharge pipe 27a and the second discharge pipe 27b. The produced water of the anode chamber side, which is acidic water, is discharged from the. That is, in electrolysis of dilute saline, the second platinum-iridium electrode 25b operates as an anode and the first platinum-based electrode 26a operates as a cathode.

As described above, in the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 20, the first electrolysis chamber 23 in the first electrolysis chamber 23 is electrolyzed at the time of electrolysis of dilute saline.
A mode in which the platinum-iridium electrode 25a operates as an anode and the second platinum-based electrode 26b of the second electrolysis chamber 24 operates as a cathode;
A mode in which the second platinum-iridium electrode 25b of the second electrolysis chamber 24 operates as an anode and the first platinum-based electrode 26a of the first electrolysis chamber 23 operates as a cathode can be selected and adopted. By selecting these two modes, the electrolytic chambers 23 and 24 are alternately switched to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber in accordance with the selection of this mode, thereby removing the electrodes in the operated state and the scale of the electrolytic chambers. can do. In this case, the first and second platinum-iridium electrodes 25a, 25b
Since no negative voltage is applied to the electrodes, no iridium is eluted from the electrodes 25a, 25b due to the application of the negative voltage, and the platinum-iridium electrodes 25a, 25b
The damage of b does not occur. Therefore, according to the electrolyzed water generator 20, it is possible to prevent early damage to the platinum-iridium electrodes 25a and 25b during cleaning of the electrolytic cell.

FIG. 3 shows a modified example of the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 20 according to the second embodiment. In the electrolyzed water generator 30 according to this modification, each of the electrodes 35a, 35b, 3
As the electrodes 6a and 36c, water-permeable electrodes such as lath metal and punching metal that can freely permeate an aqueous solution are adopted. In the first electrolytic chamber 33, a first platinum-iridium-based electrode 35a and a first platinum-based electrode 36a are used. Are arranged in parallel,
In the second electrolysis chamber 34, the second platinum-iridium-based electrode 35b and the second platinum-based electrode 36b are arranged in parallel. Further, in the electrolytic bath 31, between the diaphragm 32a and the first platinum-based electrode 36a, and between the diaphragm 32a and the second platinum-based electrode 36.
Water-permeable spacers 32b and 32c, such as a porous plate, are arranged between b, and the spacers 32b and 32c prevent the diaphragm 32a and the electrodes 36a and 36b from contacting each other.

Other configurations of the electrolysis generating apparatus 30, selection of electrode pairs to be operated during electrolysis, switching of each electrode pair, etc., are performed by the electrolysis generating apparatus 2 of the second embodiment.
It is the same as 0, operates in the same manner as the device 20, and has the same effect. Therefore, in the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 30, the electrolyzed water producing apparatus 20 of the second embodiment is used.
Members that are the same as those described in (1) are assigned the same reference numerals as those in the thirty series, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

In each of the above-mentioned embodiments, an example of an electrolyzed water producing apparatus employing dilute saline as electrolyzed water is shown, but the present invention employs normal water as electrolyzed water. As a matter of course, the electrolyzed water generating device can also be implemented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electrolyzed water generator according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electrolyzed water generator according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electrolyzed water generator according to a modified example of the electrolyzed water generator of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10, 20, 30 ... Electrolyzed water generating device 11, 21, 31
... electrolyzer, 12,22,32a ... diaphragm, 13 ... anode chamber (electrolysis chamber), 23,33 ... first electrolysis chamber, 14 ... cathode chamber (electrolysis chamber), 24,34 ... second electrolysis chamber, 15, 25
a, 25b, 35a, 35b ... Platinum-iridium-based electrode, 16a, 16b, 26a, 26b, 36a, 36b
… Platinum-based electrodes.

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A platinum-iridium-based electrode and a first corrosion-resistant electrode are arranged in one of a pair of compartments formed by partitioning the interior of an electrolytic cell with a membrane having ion permeability. The first electrolysis chamber is configured, and the second corrosion-resistant electrode is disposed in the other compartment to configure the second electrolysis chamber. The platinum-iridium-based electrode serves as an anode during electrolysis of electrolyzed water. In addition, the second corrosion-resistant electrode is operated as a cathode, and the first corrosion-resistant electrode is operated as a cathode and the second corrosion-resistant electrode is operated as an anode when cleaning the cathode chamber side of the both electrolysis chambers. Electrolyzed water generator. 2. A first platinum-iridium-based electrode and a first corrosion-resistant electrode are provided in one of a pair of compartments formed by partitioning the interior of an electrolytic cell with a diaphragm having ion permeability. And a second platinum-iridium-based electrode and a second corrosion-resistant electrode are arranged in the other compartment to form a second electrolysis chamber. Two sets of electrode pairs, that is, an electrode pair including a platinum-iridium-based electrode and a second corrosion-resistant electrode and an electrode pair including the second platinum-iridium-based electrode and a first corrosion-resistant electrode, are formed, and water to be electrolyzed is formed. During the electrolysis, each of the platinum-iridium-based electrodes serves as an anode and each of the corrosion-resistant electrodes serves as a cathode, and each of the electrode pairs is selectively operated. 3. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the corrosion-resistant electrode is an electrode selected from a titanium electrode, a stainless electrode, and an electrode group formed by coating titanium on the surface of platinum. An electrolyzed water generator characterized in that. 4. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein both electrodes arranged in the same chamber of each of the electrolysis chambers are non-water-permeable flat plate electrodes, and these electrodes are mutually An electrolyzed water generator characterized by being arranged in series. 5. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein both electrodes arranged in the same chamber of each of the electrolysis chambers are water-permeable porous plate-shaped electrodes, and these electrodes are mutually An electrolyzed water generator characterized by being arranged in parallel.